No dedicated detectives hunting for missing schoolgirl who ran away to France with music teacher

FRENCH police say they have not appointed a dedicated detective in the hunt for missing schoolgirl Megan Stammers fuelling fears of the intensity of the search on the Continent.

It has been reported today that French police were not actively searching and had not carried out standard credit card or mobile phone searches.

Jean-Philippe Joubert, state prosecutor for Boulogne-sur-Mer, said: “These people have been put on a missing persons’ list and a European Arrest Warrant has been issued. But there are no dedicated detectives or specific searches going on right now.

“But if the couple are recognised and identified, then they will be arrested.”

Sussex Police said it was working with Interpol and the French authorities over the disappearance of Megan, 15, and 30-year-old maths teacher Jeremy Forrest.

But BBC News reported Interpol was unable to confirm that it was working on the case of the missing schoolgirl from Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Neither she nor Forrest has a profile on the crime agency’s website, www.interpol.int, under its “yellow notices” section which “help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves”.

Forrest is also not listed on the website under its “red notices”, profiles used “to seek the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action”.

The Europe-wide search for the pair has failed to uncover any confirmed new sightings, six days after they fled to the Continent.

The last confirmed sighting of Megan and Forrest - who taught maths at Bishop Bell C of E School in Eastbourne - was from CCTV cameras on board a Dover-to-Calais ferry at 9.30pm last Thursday.

Police have previously said that although Megan and Forrest entered France, they could be further afield now.